Grave marker



"Feb 23,; 1926. I 1,574,621

P. J. GOOD GRAIE MARKER Filed May 2, 1925 WITNESSES UNITE PERCY JOHN GOOD,

GRAVE Application filed May 2, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY J. G001), a citizen of the United States, and resident of Camden, in the county of Knox and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave Markers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in markers of the character especially adapted for marking graves although adapted for general use as a marker or sign, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is the provision of a marker of the character described which. affords facilities for sup-- porting a card which contains desirable data so that the card may be inspected when desired but normally is protected against the action of sunlight and from the weather.

A further object of the inventior is the provision of a marker of the character described which also is adapted to support a receptacle for flowers, plants or other ornamental articles.

A still further object of the invention is the provision in a. marker of the character described of means for holding a record carrying card removably so that the card will be protected from the sunlight, the weaither and other sources of injury to the car I A still further object of the invention is the provision of a marker of the character described which will be ornamental in appearance, durable in use, and thoroughly practical commercially.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the im; proved marker, showing in dash lines a receptacle for flowers removably supported by the standard'of the marker,

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the housing for the card of the marker, showing the standard in elevation,

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the housing showing one means contemplated by the invention for removably holding the card carrying plate within the housing, and

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the housing and through the card carrying plate, showing a modified form of means STATES PATENT OFFICE.

on CAMDEN, MAINE.

MARKER.

Serial No. 27,611.

for removably securing the card carrying plate in position in the housing.

In carrying out the invention, I make use of a standard 1 which is made of a suitable metal or of any other suitable material. The lower end portion of the standard may taper to a point as shown and thus be adaptcd to be driven into the earth. The upper end portion of the standard is bent arcuately substantially to C-shape as indicated at 2 and is further bent at the upper end of the C-shaped portion 2 to provide a pendant hanger portion 3 which slightly inclines in a downward and lateral direction toward the lower part of the C-shaped portion 2 and terminates at its lower end in an eye, such as indicated at 74:.

A housing 5 which may be stamped, cast or otherwise formed of metal or of any other suitable weatherproof opaque material has the shape of a bell. tion of the crown of the bell-shaped housing 5 may be enlarged externally as indicated at 6 and is provided with a vertical opening for the reception of a rivet 7 or like fastening device, whereby ahanger loop 8 is secured tothe central portion of the crown andis upstanding therefrom. The hanger loop 8. preferably is of greater lengtl'; horizontally than height and the upper portion of the hanger loop, indicated at 8*, is substantially horizontal, is enlarged laterally at its upper sides and is convexly curved transversely thereof at its lower side as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This upper por- The central porv tion of the hanger loop extends loosely through the eye 4 and the convexly curved lower side of the hanger loop tends to slide by gravity in contact with the inner wall of the eye 4: to the lower part of'the eye should the housing 5 be swung upward from the position shown in Figure 1, whereby the housing 5 normally will remain in pendant position with the axis thereof substantially vertical.

A plate 9 is formed to correspond in outline to and to have the same diameter as the inner diameter of the bell-shaped housing 5 at a. slight distance above the level of the rim edge of the housing. Spaced substantially hook-shaped lugs 10 extend inwardly from the housing 5 below this level. The plate 9 is formed with notches or cut outs 11 in its peripheral edge in positions to afford clearance for the lugs 10 when the plate 9 is moved flatwise in an upward direction in the hoi'isil'ig. to position to contact at its peripheral edge with the inner wall of the bellshaped housing 5 and in position to lie in a planewhichezrtends at right angles to the axis of the bell-shaped housing. I

A split retaining ring made of spring wire is indicated at 12 and is adapted to fit within the rim of the bell-shaped housing 5 against the under face of the peripheral edge portion of the plate 5) and to be held against displacement by the lugs 10, where by the plate 9 will be firmly, although releasably, held in position in the lower part of the bell-shaped housing above the level of the rim edge of the housing. The plate 9 is formed with a relatively large aperture 13 which is covered by a glass panel 14. A card 15 on which desirable data .may be produced or is adapted to be supported is superimposed on the panel 14-. The panel 14 and the card 15 may be held against movement relatively to the plate 9 by retaining flanges 16 on the plate or in any other suitable known manner. It of course will be understood that the data or other matter which appears on the card 15 will be on the normally under side thereof so that such matter will be visible when the rim of the bell-shaped housing 5 has been swung upward from the position shown in Figure 1 until the card 15 is in the line of vision of the observer.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The bell-shaped housing may be suspended from the upper end of the C-shaped portion of the standard to swing within limits without coming into contact with the curved C- shaped portion of the standard. This housing of course constitutes a holder for the card carrying plate, hence the plate will be releasably held in position within the holder" so that the card will be protected'against the action of sunlight and from the weather as well as from injury which might result from any foreign objects within the housing. Vertically spaced horizontal rings may be carried by the C-shaped portion of the standard at the rear side thereof, as indicated at 17 and 18- respectively. These rings may vary in size, the larger ring being the higher of the two and thus may be adapted tosupport a removable downwardly tapering receptacle 19 in which flowers or any other appropriate ornamental objects may be supported.

In Figure 4;, I show a modified form of housing. which may be stamped out of sheet metal or other light gauge material.- This modi-fied form of housing, designated 20, also is bell-shaped and has the central portion of the crown thereof offset: "slightly upward as of the device hereinbefore described and 'secures the hanger loop 8 to the crown of the housing. The upper end portion 22 of the securing element just referred to is shown as being upset at its upper end as indicated at 23. The lower end portion of this securing elen'ient depends within the upper part of the bell-shaped housing as indicated at 2-1 and terminates at its lower end in a hook 2'.

A plate 26 having a relatively large aperture 27 covered by the transparent panel 28 on which is superposed the record or data card 29, fits within the bell-shaped housing 20 to position above the level of the rim edge of the housing. The transparent panel 28 and the card 29 are secured in place on the plate 26 by flanges 30 or other suitable fastening means. The plate 26 is releasably held against downward displacement from position within the housing by means of a pair of hanger wires 31. These hanger wires 31 have substantially the form of bails, each being secured at its ends to diametrically opposite peripheral edge portions of the plate 26 and the middle portions of the hanger wires being crossed and being suspended from the hook 25. When the plate 26 is turned about its center as an axis, the crossed middle portions of the hanger wires or bails will be twisted as indicated at 32 and the effective length of these hanger wires thus will be shortened so that the plate will be raised to the desired position within the bell-shaped housing 20 and will be re- ]easably held in such position. In order to remove the plate, it only is necessary to rotate the plate in the direction opposite to that just mentioned so that the effective length of the hanger wires will be increased and the plate will be lowered to position below the level of the rim edge of the bellshaped housing 20 and then may be conveniently detached from the ends of the hanger wires.

Obviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than those illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. In amarker of the character described, a substantially bell-shaped housing made of a light gauge material and having an attaching member at its upper end centrally thereof whereby the housing. can be sus pended from a suitable support to hang pendant with the axis of the housing substantially vertical, a hanger hook depending within the upper part of the housing can rrally thereof, a plate having a central aperture, a transparent panel covering the ap erlure, a record card superimposed on said transparent panel, and a wire bail having the ends thereof secured to diametrically opposite peripheral edge portions of the plate and having the middle portion thereof engaged with said pendant hook, whereby rotation of the plate about its center as an axis will cause twisting of the arms of the bail and will cause the plate to be raised to position within the housing above the level of the rim edge of the housing.

2. In a device of the character described, a housing open at its lower end, an attaching element within the upper part of the housing, a plate adapted to be moved to and from position to be received within the lower part of the housing, and an elongated flexible suspension member having the middle portion thereof engaged with said attaching element in the upper part of the housing and having the ends thereof attached to opposite edge portions of the plate, whereby turning of the plate about its center as an axis in one direction will cause said end portions of the flexible suspension member to be twisted and the plate to be raised from position below said housing into the lower part of said housing.

In a marker of the character described a hollow housing enlarging in cross sectional area toward one end and open at said one end, means for swingingly supporting he housing to hang with the open end hereof downward and with the axes thereof substantially vertical, a plate adapted to be received flatwise in the lower part of said housing, means for retaining a record card on said plate, and means for supporting said plate substantially flatwise in the lower part of said housing.

4. In a marker of the character described, a hollow housing open at one end and having opaque waterproof walls,. means for supporting said housing, a plate adapted to be received flatwise in said housing adjacent to p the open end thereof, said plate having a relatively large aperture, a transparent panel covering said aperture, means for retaining said plate substantially flatwise in said housing adjacent to the open end of the housing, and means for retaining a record card flatwise against the inner face of said transparent panel.

PERCY JOHN GOOD. 

